TRIFECTA for no discernible reason?
 

It's been over a month since I last drove the X5, and it performed well, despite getting the dreaded TRIFECTA, for no apparent reason.

Here's the way my drive went:

• 1) Started the X, but only after it didn't start on the first turn of the key, ran perfect, engine readings all as usually seen,
• 2) Stopped to shop at Walmart, then when leaving, the X5 again required a second turn of the key (unusual, as it always requires just one turn),
• 3) Stopped for gas, and once again, it started on the second turn of the key, but this time with the TRIFECTA, and
• 4) Performed perfectly returning home, even after I tried to get some sign of problems...Acceleration, braking, etc.

Once home, before unpacking the truck, I checked for faults on Torque Pro, which was running. It found no faults.I turned off the engine for a minute, during which I cleared the "non-existent" faults, then restarted the engine. Once again, the key required two turns, and the TRIFECTA remained lit.

When the TRIFECTA appeared, on the second turn of the key at the gas station, I may have partially lost my grip on the key, as I was juggling a receipt at the time. Could that make the TRIFECTA appear?

The only other time I had the TRIFECTA was when I had to change batteries, and lost coms with ECM, the transmission, and EWS. The TRIFECTA and module codes went away after a few starts, so i was quite relieved. Maybe this TRIFECTA will go away on its' own, too. But why isn't the ignition working until the second turn, suddenly?

You need to check with a proper code reader. The 2 tries for starting could be a fuel issue and maybe not even related to the trifecta. After it's been sitting for a while the battery could be a bit low too.

most likely electrical
 

Not fuel, because there was no sign of the starter trying to engage. No sound at all.

The battery should be OK, as well, with the voltmeter inside the truck (in the cigarette lighter socket in front) reading 12.6v before the first start attempt. I keep a Battery Tender always charging the X5, and the battery itself was new last November, IIRC.

I'll take my Foxwell out to check it tomorrow, but surely the Torque Pro app should've detected a fault.

whoops, it must've been low voltage
 

I just got around to looking into the TRIFECTA with my Foxwell; first thing I did was hook up my good Solar/Clore Automotive PL2320 charger/maintainer/power supply, before I started testing. The battery was only at 77%, and the voltage was at 12.5, not the 12.6 or better I usually see, on the gauge in my cog lighter receptacle. I guess I wasn't paying full attention to it yesterday.

Then, I turned the power supply on (20amps @ 13.5v), plugged-in the Foxwell, and scanned for codes. There were a lot, unusual for my X5, including EWS, TGS, DME, and some others. I went thru them all, clearing them as I went, withe the TRIFECTA still on.

Finally, there were three Kombi codes (I'll usually only have the BD (brake force distribution?) code. I cleared them all, and the TRIFECTA went out. I started the X, and the TRIFECTA didn't reappear.

As I was putting up my stuff, and plugging-in the onboard Battery Tender (mounted on the rear floor tunnel hump, and plugged into the console's rear cig lighter receptacle), I noticed that the Battery Tender was intermittently flashing both red and green lights (it should have shown solid red, flashing green until full charge, then solid green w/o red). The plug was bent, and must've been damaged 1.5 months ago, when my wife's great nephew leaped into the rear seat, and also tore up the seat cover, as well (fortunately, the leather wasn't harmed).

I didn't check the state of charge in between times, trusting the 9 month old battery, and the ostensibly working Battery Tender. My BMW seems particularly sensitive to low battery!

Last night, while thinking about the TRIFECTA, I determined that the "BMW" logo/brand might mean "Beobachtet Muss Werden", or "must be observed/monitored", referring to keeping a close eye on the battery, modules, and so many other things that BMW ownership demands. Not so much bitching about it, but just an observation.

A low battery will cause a trifecta. I've seen it on mine. After a reset and full charge, it doesn't come back.

I think these E53 are very sensitive to battery and voltage discrepancies.
Get new battery every 4 years in Texas, absolutely NLT 5 years.
Most of my problems have been low battery.